SAN ANTONIO – UTSA Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Lisa Campos announced Derek Pittman as the new head coach of the Roadrunners soccer program. Pittman comes to San Antonio after spending the last four years serving in the same capacity at the University of Idaho.
"We are excited Derek is joining the Roadrunner family," Campos said. "It was clear through the interview process that he is passionate about his profession and developing student-athletes in the classroom, the community and on the field. He has proven to be a program builder who has a great ability to identify talented student-athletes through the recruiting process. He also shows a deep passion for a team-first mentality and relationships. Derek is a great addition to our athletics department and his enthusiasm and drive will serve our soccer program well."
"I want to thank Lisa Campos, Christine Moeller and President Taylor Eighmy for this tremendous opportunity," Pittman said. "There is a buzz surrounding UTSA and the direction of the athletics department, and my family and I cannot wait to be a part of it. I am very grateful and really looking forward to leading the soccer program into the future as we build a culture of excellence on and off the field. We have a lot of work ahead of us but the vision and resources are all here for our team and staff to accomplish our goals of competing for Conference USA championships.
"I would also like to thank Dr. Rob Spear and the entire athletics department at the University of Idaho. My family and I will always be thankful for the support that was provided for us while in Moscow, and as we built Vandals soccer into a championship program. I truly wish the team and the department all the success in the future."
Pittman comes to the Alamo City with 17 years of collegiate coaching experience, including seven as a head coach.
During four seasons with the Vandals (2014-17), he led the squad to back-to-back Big Sky Conference regular season championships in 2015 and '16. He was named the 2015 Big Sky Coach of the Year after guiding the team to a program-best 14-4-3 overall mark and a 9-0-1 record in league action. He mentored 2015 Big Sky Goalkeeper of the Year Carson Poertner and Kavita Battan, who earned second-team All-Pacific Region honors and was the first player in program history to sign a professional contract. His 2015 squad set program marks for wins, points, goals, assists, shutouts, goals against and attendance.
A year later, Pittman recruited 2016 Big Sky Freshman of the Year Emma Eddy to Moscow. For the second straight campaign, the Vandals led the league in goals scored and fewest goals allowed.
Overall, he mentored 47 Big Sky All-Academic honorees and 21 All-Big Sky selections, including seven first-teamers.
Prior to his time at Idaho, Pittman spent four seasons (2010-13) as the associate head coach at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash., where he was responsible for the day-to-day training of the defenders and oversaw the goalkeepers. Under his tutelage in 2013, the Bulldogs recorded its lowest goals-against average in seven seasons.
Pittman spent three years (2007-09) as the head coach at Arkansas State University. His time in Jonesboro was highlighted by leading the 2009 Red Wolves to their first-ever Sun Belt Conference semifinals appearance and set the school record for victories.
Pittman also spent three seasons (2004-07) as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri and one year (2003) at the University of Georgia, where he helped the Bulldogs to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Pittman was a four-year starter and team captain for the University of Tulsa soccer program. He earned All-Missouri Valley Conference honors as a goalkeeper in 1995. Pittman went on to play professionally for the Barrow Amateur Football Club in Barrow, England, and the Columbus Comets and Savannah RugRatz in the Eastern Indoor Soccer League.
He returned to Tulsa to complete his bachelor's degree in business administration in 1998. He then began his coaching career as a graduate assistant with the Golden Hurricane. He has additional coaching experience at the club level with the Pride Soccer Club of Missouri, the Tulsa Soccer Club and the Little Rock Futbol Club of Arkansas and is a United States Soccer Federation 'A' licensed coach.
Pittman and his wife, Amber, have two daughters, Emma and Jozy.
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